Contemporary Reactions

Khanbahadur Ahsanullah lived for 92 years. He breathed his last on February 9, 1965. His departure only resulted in his bodily demise, but could do nothing to take away the name and fame, the contributions for which he will live eternally. He nearly touched the sun-rays of an entire millennium and made selfless contributions in creating the history of an entire century.

Immediately after his death The Daily Azad (Magh 28, 1371 Bangla/February 10, 1965) wrote in its editorial: “Many creations of Khanbahadur Ahsanullah’s action-packed life, will remain ever alive to the nation.

…… the impact of the Muslim Education Movement had lived with him as the biggest inspiration till the last days of his life. This inspiration had developed in him, a serious interest to do good for the development of education, for the quest of religion and above all, for selflessly serving the Muslim population of the country. …… With his death, an irredeemable void has been created in the society.”

Abul Fazal stated in the commemorative publication on Khanbahadur Ahsanullah: “He was a thoroughly religious man. But by no means, he was a fanatic. He had deep erudition as far as theological subjects were concerned and his erudition has lent our literature richness and variety.”

According to Professor Md. Mansuruddin: “He was courageous and a well-wisher of the society. Like the illiterate and fanatic mullahs or priests, he was never unkind and rough. He was always engrossed in the ecstatic love of the Almighty.

In assessing this saintly personality, Dr. Waqil Ahmed, said: “It is my belief that the huge volume of writings left behind by Khanbahadur Ahsanullah never fell short of sensible thoughts and deep insights into subject-matters. On the contrary, his thought-provoking essays were always in keeping with the intellectual and the idealistic demands of the time.”

The comments presented below from an essay by the noted literary critic Dr. Abdul Mannan Syed can be considered as the most contemporary assessment on the man: “In the awakening of Bengal and the rejuvenation of the Bengali Muslims, Khanbahadur Ahsanullah emerged as a true renaissance-man who had reconciled the worldly and the spiritual on the palm of a single hand; succeeded to strike a balance between the worldly brilliance and the divine brilliance; ultimately gaining the eligibility to start his proud journey to receive the honour of the successful human being or Insan-ul-­Quamel.”